Defense was Cowboys' savior in win: 'Thank God we did'

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Dallas Cowboys strong safety Barry Church (42) celebrates after an interception in the end zone during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016. The Cowboys won the game 27-23.(Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News)

LANDOVER, Md. -- A roll of the eyes or a heavy sigh is the customary response when the topic turns to the Cowboys defense.

It's really no different from the reaction the majority of Americans express when asked about Congress.

But on this day, rather than wait for something bad or maddeningly predictable to unfold, the Cowboys defense took matters into its own hands. A group that too often is asked simply not to lose games went out and took one.

Tyrone Crawford records first sack of season, but still isn't happy with his play: 'I'm a little rusty'

Dallas made life miserable for quarterback Kirk Cousins and Washington in the red zone. Safety Barry Church came up with a game-changing interception, linebacker Justin Durant came up with a key stop on fourth down and the Cowboys avoided what would have been a disastrous start to the season with a 27-23 victory.

The Cowboys defense, like Congress, remains suspect. But what took place Sunday afternoon at FedEx Field pushes its approval ratings up.

"This loss would have torn us apart,'' defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford said. "It would have really torn us apart as a team, mentally.

"It has extreme significance to get confidence in our defense and to quiet the outside noise.''

Crawford and his teammates will tell you they block out the noise. That's only partially true. It's become too loud to ignore.

The opener didn't help. The Cowboys lost that game the way they had so many others in 2015, hanging close but ultimately losing because the defense was unable to get a turnover or key stop down the stretch.

The New York Giants scored touchdowns on all three of their trips into the red zone. After the Cowboys offense began the season with two long field goal drives, the defense gave up a quick score to blunt momentum.

Sunday's game against Washington opened in the same manner. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys dominated with drives of 13 and nine plays to take a 10-0 lead before Washington responded with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of its own.

The Cowboys are built to win games with their offense. That's where the majority of the money has been spent. But the defense can't be a drag on the proceedings.

They weren't Sunday. After that initial red zone touchdown, the Cowboys defense kept Washington out of the end zone on four of its next five trips inside the 20-yard line.

Is that too many trips inside the 20? Sure. But an unsuccessful onside kick and an Ezekiel Elliott fumble set up two of those possessions for Washington.

"We can talk about it all day, we can say we have the tools to be a good defense, but until we go out there and do it and make plays like we did today, it's just talk,'' Durant said.

The Dallas defense began to show its mettle late in the third quarter, holding Washington to a field goal after Dan Bailey's onside kick failed to travel 10 yards.

Two plays later, Elliott lost a fumble on the Cowboys' 34-yard line.

Seven plays later, Washington was forced to settle for another field goal.

"We're all a team, and we've all got to respond to what happens on the field,'' Crawford said. "The defense responded well.

"Thank God we did.''

Washington carried a 23-20 lead into the fourth and had a first and goal on the Dallas 6-yard line with just under 11 minutes left. The Cowboys were in a form of Cover 3 on third down from the same spot.

Church's first responsibility was tight end Jordan Reed. When he cut into linebacker Sean Lee's territory, Church dropped down into the defense to become the hook player.

"I just read the quarterback's eyes and was able to melt back to the middle,'' Church said. "He threw it a little late over the middle, and I was able to make a play on the ball.''

Church's interception kept Washington off the scoreboard and sparked an 11-play, 80-yard response by the Cowboys for a 27-23 lead.

Lee and Durant dropped running back Chris Thompson for no gain on third and 1 on Washington's next possession. Durant jumped in front of a slant intended for Pierre Garcon on fourth down and knocked it down to give the Cowboys the ball.

"To be in a situation like that and to make a play, there is no other way I can get that feeling aside from, well, I can't,'' Durant said. "Especially being in someone else's place, feeling the air come out of people, it feels great.''

A Dallas defense that managed only two interceptions in the first six games last season has two already. A defense that scraped together only two sacks in those first two games of '15 has four, including one by Crawford in the final 1:25 of Sunday's game.

"We knew we had to find a way to get off the football field,'' Lee said. "In those situations you have to make plays, execute your assignments and play fast.

"That's what we did. I thought we did that a lot today. Everybody stepped up in certain situations.

"We took a step forward today.''

That's more than Congress managed Sunday.

Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and with The Hardline at 4:10 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday during the regular season opener.